Geobge woethington



(No Model.)

G. WORTHINGTON.

EXERGISING APPARATUS.

No. 277,399. Patented May 8,1883.

WITNESSES: V INVENTOR:

BY a

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS Phulo-Liohu n hw, Washinglnru D4 C.

UNITE STATES GEORGE WVORTHINGTON, OF HOWARD COUNTY, MARYLAND.

EXERClSlNG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 277,399, dated May 8, 1883.

' Application filed March 29, 1883. (No model.)

To all whonm't may concern: Y Be it known that I, GEORGE VVORTHING- TON, of Howard county and State ofMaryland,

have invented a new and Improved Exercising able, light, and pack away in small space.

The apparatus is specially designed to afiord the means in any room at ones home for the exercise (a most beneficial one) known as dipping, as practiced in the ordinary gymnasium, as hereinafter fully described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective side View of my improved apparatus and the figure of a person exercising thereon. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a plan of the parallel bars and connecting-bar on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a front elevation ot'the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one of the braces for staying the legs.

n represents the horizontal parallel bars; b, the third bar connecting the parallel bars together at one end c, the front legs of the unconnected ends of the parallel bars, and d the hind leg connecting with bar b.

I prefer to make the bar I) to consist of a gas-T, e, at the center, in the outlet of which the leg d screws, and with a nipple, f, in each end, screwing into the right-angle elbows g,

I prefer to use elbows j of one hundred degrees, more or less. instead of the common right-angled elbow, in order that the legs'may be so inclined, whereby, together with the adjustment of said elbows on the arms a and the adjustment of the T e in connecting-bar b, the legs may have an inclination toward acommon center situated in the neighborhood. of the line of the center of gravity of the person using the apparatus. From this common center the center line of legs will radiate, measured on a horizontal plane, at an angle of one hundred and twenty degrees to each other. This gives greater steadiness to the apparatus and less strain on the joints. I propose 'to rivet the T e and nipples f together at kand the elbows and nipples f together at 70, also to rivet the ferrules t'ontothe ends of the wood bars h at l and connect the parallel arms a with the elbows g andj, by removable pins m, in fastening the joints together, to make the ends of all the wood bars accessible for wed ging should the ferrules become loose at any time. i

The legs will be made of wood, with a ferrule of iron tubing on the upper ends to screw into the elbows andT, to be taken out when required for packing the apparatus away. The front legs, 0, will have stays, oonsistin g of the inclined rods 02, hooking into eye-studs 0 near the upper end, for connection to the legs thereat, and detachably hookingv also into other eye-studs at 12, near the lower ends, for disconnecting them when required, and the front legs, 0, and hind leg, d, will be connected by other stay-rods, q,'adapted to readily nnhook at both ends.

The dipping exercise shown by Fig. 1 consists in supporting the body upon the bands, which grasp the parallel bars, lowering the body by bending the arms until the chin is on a level with the hands, then raising-the body tance apart; but such device is so unsatisfactory that the exercise is generally neglected. My apparatus obviously overcomes all difficulties, and afi'ords entirely satisfactory means for practicing the exercise. An excellent exercise for the biceps and abdominal muscles may be obtained by grasping the bars from the under side and letting the body down toward the floor until the arms are straight, the legs astride theback legof the apparatus, forming a right angle with the body,and the knees kept straight, then raising the body by bending the arms until the shoulders are on a level with the bars, lowering again, and repeating several times. The exercise of dipping cannot be had from rowing-machines, health-lifts, or chest-weights. The nearest approach to it is found in the chest-weight; but they have to be permanently fixed in the room where they are used, while this apparatus, which is specially adapted for the exercise, may be set up for use when required and be readily taken down and put away when the exerciseis over.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An exercising-machine consisting of two horizontal parallel bars, a, connected at one end by a bar, I), having a supporting-leg, d, and provided with legs 0 at the other end, substantially as described.

, 2. The leg d, T e, and nipples f, in combination with elbows g, bars h, elbows j, and the legs 0, substantially as described.

3. The wood arms h and metal ferrules i, in'

combination with legs a, elbows g, bar I), and leg 01, substantially as described.

4. The T c, nipples f, and elbows g, screwed and riveted together, in combination with the bars a, screwed and pinned to the elbows g, .substantially as described.

5. The wood arms h, screwed and riveted to the ferrules iand pinned to the elbows g and j, substantially as described. a

6. The combination of the detachable stayrods a and q with the legs 0 cl and connecting- -bar b, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with an exercising apparatus, of parallel bars a and connecting-bar b, with supporting-legs 0 (I, having an inclination toward a common center situated in the neighborhood oftheline of the center ofgravity of the body of the person using the apparatus, substantially as described.

GEORGE WORTHINGTON Witnesses:

MURRAY HANSON, JOSEPH WINKLER. 

